Capital: Nairobi
Time zone: GMT + 3
Telephone services: Country Code: 254
Outgoing Code: 000
Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 336886 / 501280.
Tourist information: Kenya Tourist Office, 25 Brooks Mews, off Davies Street, Mayfair, London, W1Y 1LG Tel: (020) 7355 3144 Fax: (020) 7495 8656.
Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Must be valid from 6 months from the date of entry. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Consult embassy before departure.
Visa information: Required by all except nationals of the UK and others. Valid up to 3 months which can then be renewed at Nyayo House, Uhuru Highway, Nairobi. Refer to tourist office for further visa requirements.
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Prevails throughout the year. Falciparum variety is present and high resistance to Chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: Vaccination is strongly recommended to all visitors if travelling outside the urban areas. A vaccination certificate will be required by anyone arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, rabies, and their is the risk of aids, therefore take sterilised needles if injections are required.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: Kenyan Shilling (Ksh) = 100 cents.
NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited. Black market transactions are inadvisable.
Diners Club and Visa are accepted. Travellers cheques can be changed at banks. Pound sterling is the preferred currency.
ATM availability: 40 locations.
Cost of living: Kenya is greatly influenced by Western European standards of living
Languages: English and Kiswahili.
Weather: Coastal areas are tropical and the lowlands are hot and dry. The rainfall can be heavy.
Electricity: 220/240 Volts AC 50Hz Plugs = UK type 3 pin.
Post: About 4 days to Europe. Letters can be sent c/o Poste Restante in any town. Poste Restante is well organised in Nairobi and free to collect.
Transport: ROADS: All major roads are now tarred. TRAIN: Overnight to Mombassa and Nairobi. BUS: Matatus (normally mini buses) are notorious for their involvement with accidents. BEWARE: Bandits are common on the roads leading to the Somali border. Walking alone at night can be dangerous. DOCUMENTATION: British licence is valid for 90 days but must be endorsed by the police.
Special information: Western European habits prevail. Be alert for muggings and armed attacks if travelling in Nairobi or Mombassa. Avoid travelling after dark and isolated places. This is particularly relevant, following the civil unrest during the 1997 elections Game reserves and tourist areas on the coast are generally very safe.